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180 " A Thousand Points of Light" Although th e medi a predictabl y line d u p agains t th e Republicans , this time the flagships of the liberal press declined t o endorse the Democrati c candidate. Marti n Peretz , th e publishe r o f th e New Republic, pithily observed tha t "t o kno w Dukakis—t o kno w hi m eve n fro m afar—i s t o dislike him." The Washington Post did not consider Dukakis worthy of its approval, mostl y because h e ha d repeatedl y denie d tha t h e was a liberal. Rather, h e was a "progressive," a Reagan Democra t i f you will . In truth , Dukakis wa s a social libera l whos e economi c policie s tende d towar d th e conservative. Dukakis , lik e Gar y Hart , though t tha t b y repudiatin g th e economic tenet s o f th e Ne w Deal , whil e embracin g abortion , h e coul d resurrect th e Democrati c majority . Working-clas s voters were not buyin g what Dukaki s had t o sell . Once again , the Republica n presidentia l nomi nee won th e blue-collar vote . In Pennsylvania , Dukaki s basically told un employed steelworkers to get a life and then threatened to take their guns. Sixty percent o f Pennsylvania's adul t male s were gun owners—man y belonged t o th e Nationa l Rifl e Association . Dukaki s mus t hav e neve r see n the movie The Deer Hunter; if he had, he was so deracinated that he could not understan d th e almos t spiritua l allur e huntin g ha d fo r blue-colla r ethnics. Th e governo r pai d dearl y fo r hi s alienatio n o f workers, ethnics , and hunters. Bush carried Pennsylvania , as well as Ohio an d Michigan. 64 Dukakis managed t o win ten states—though onl y New York and Massachusetts offere d hi m a nice po t o f electora l votes . H e improve d upo n Mondale's showin g i n 1984—n o grea t achievement . Dukaki s ra n bette r than Mondal e ha d wit h Boomers , middle-clas s retirees , an d singl e women. H e decisivel y los t Bab y Busters an d marrie d mothers . Althoug h Bush experience d som e slippag e i n suppor t fro m fundamentalist s an d Pentecostals—ten percentag e point s fro m Reagan' s '8 4 tally—the y di d not defec t t o Dukakis . Suc h religiou s conservative s simpl y followe d th e example o f thei r blac k brethre n an d staye d home . Th e Democrat s re tained contro l o f th e Hous e an d Senate . Thei r actua l shar e o f th e ra w vote, however, gav e them barel y a two-percentage-point margi n ove r th e Republicans. Overall, 45 percent o f the voters split their tickets, the highest proportio n sinc e 1948 . The Republica n loc k o n th e Whit e Hous e re mained safe . Congressiona l Democrats , o n th e othe r hand , coul d no t breathe easy . Their contro l o f the House an d Senat e was weak. A moody electorate might subsequentl y swing to the right. 65 George Bus h ha d wo n becaus e h e wa s no t Michae l Dukakis . In 198 0 and 1984, Reagan had waved the flag and successfully combine d economi c and cultura l issues . Bush trie d t o perfor m th e sam e magic in '88 , but hi s 180 "A Thousand Points of Light" Although the media predictably lined up against the Republicans, this time the flagships of the liberal press declined to endorse the Democratic candidate. Martin Peretz, the publisher of the New Republic, pithily observed that "to know Dukakis-to know him even from afar-is to dislike him." The Washington Post did not consider Dukakis worthy of its approval, mostly because he had repeatedly denied that he was a liberal. Rather, he was a "progressive," a Reagan Democrat if you will. In truth, Dukakis was...

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